(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a flight simulator vibration system, particularly to a crew seat, a flight control stick and a panel vibration system of a flight simulator for a helicopter.
(2) Description of Related Art
The design of a low-cost simulation system to replicate helicopter/shipboard launch and recovery envelopes reduces the reliance on expensive at-sea developmental flight tests. A high-frequency, low-amplitude motion with a three degree of freedom (3DOF) seat shaker/motion system allows simulator systems integrators to provide motion and vibration cues to an operator without the expense of a full cab motion system providing pitch, roll and heave cues to the operator's seat based on the simulated vehicle's motion. Vehicle X and Y cues are also blended into the motion to provide realistic driving cues. Vibrations of 10 Hz until 40 Hz, with a preferred value of 25 to 26 Hz, depending on the vibrations simulated, can be provided to each of the three degrees of freedom. The seat motion system control electronics are packaged as a self-contained simulation node that performs the required cueing algorithms locally at a high iteration rate and can communicate with other simulation components over serial or Ethernet connections. The node receives vehicle state information from the vehicle dynamics model as well as vibration and discrete bump commands.
For flight simulation it is known to use motion simulators including 6-post motion platforms with the platform being supported by 6 active hydraulic actuators. The 6-post is essentially a hydraulic position servo driven by commanded leg or actuator lengths computed by a motion system mathematical model.
Seat shakers of the state of the art are different from the original seat and very expensive. Their control is affected via complicated software and necessitates interference with existing system components. Some of the vibrations created by the seat shakers of the state of the art are likely to deteriorate the operation of adjacent systems.
(3) Description of Related Art
U.S. 2009154737 A1 discloses an apparatus, system and method for an entertainment chair to provide a high fidelity audio system incorporated in an entertainment chair. The entertainment chair is relatively independent from an acoustical environment in which it is placed and enables repeatable high fidelity sound with a wide variety of recording types and qualities. A subwoofer is placed in the backrest and a shaker is placed in the seat bottom. The subwoofer and shaker are separately tuneable through a control panel ergonomically placed at a forward end of an arm rest. The control panel includes a universal iPod dock. Other inputs may also be connected to the entertainment chair. This system is dedicated to personal entertainment and is not suitable for any flight simulation.